The Night of Riddles
by DutchAver
Summary: Prequel to Two Worlds, One Love. Sometimes, true love can do the impossible... Redone at 1-7-2009.


DISCLAIMER: I don't own His Dark Materials.

* * *

Wills mother was in the living room, reading together with Will, but Will had a hard time to keep reading. He was thinking about everything he had been through, and with reason – it would be Midsummer's Day tomorrow. He looked at his mother and realized he had been very lucky to have her still in full sanity.  
She recovered from the Spectre soon after the Angels destroyed it. After that happened, Will decided he was going to tell her everything, including Lyra. At first, she, of course, didn't believe it, but when Mary Mallone taught her how to see dæmons, she had to believe her son. She knew under what pressure Will was, to forget Lyra.  
Because that was still very hard. Even though it became easier every day.

Will was over his problems; his lawyer came with the right to defend your own home in case of burglary, plus, he was under the age of eighteen, which eventually led to the judge saying he was cleared of all charges.  
Mary Mallone got her license back. There was no proof she faked an identity, except from a witness saying she did, so she could do the physics and science she loved quickly after she was back into her own world.

_Whatever. I can't read anyway, and the sooner I get to sleep, the sooner it will be Midsummer's Day.  
_"Mum, I think I'm going to sleep. I'm tired," Will said, closing his book and walking to his room, after giving his mother a kiss.  
"That's okey, honey. Goodnight!"  
Will walked to the bathroom, brushing his teeth. He put on his pyjama and went to sleep.

But Will couldn't sleep, no matter how hard he tried. He knew the reason fairly well; Lyra. Tomorrow, he would finally be able to "talk" to her again. Even though he wasn't certain if Lyra did the same, his heart told him she did. It was almost twelve o'clock.  
Then, something strange happened. Something seemed to click, in his room. He could not understand it, but when he looked around, he saw something he could not believe, something he did not see for years.  
It was a window.  
Not just a window in a house, which made you able to look outside, no, this was a window between parallel worlds. An opening.  
_The subt__le knife was destroyed. All the openings, all of the windows, were closed, and that opening wasn't there one minute ago.  
_Something tempted him to go inside, something he couldn't resist, something that moved his legs every step closer to that window.  
That something sounded like Lyra, but Will knew it wasn't true. Being sixteen, he should be over those imaginary dreams now. All the doubts putting aside, he went in. And he could not believe what he was seeing there.  
A girl, sixteen years old as well.  
Lyra.  
The Lyra he loved, and still loved. The thing Will deemed impossible just happened.  
She was lying in her bed, staring in amazement at Will's face, making it just as hard for her to believe he was there, as for him.

Without even thinking about why it had happened, Will ran towards Lyra, who climbed out of her bed and ran towards him. They almost suffocated from each other's hugs and shared a passionate kiss, one that contained all the love in the world.  
None of them needed to think about the fact the other might not want it.

They had a great time together, even though it was just for one night. Will changed into his normal clothes quickly, going back to his world; the window was directly between the two worlds, so they could visit both.  
First, Will and Lyra went to check what fun there was in Lyra's world. He found out what was unique about her world, what his world did not have. Afterwards, Will showed Lyra his world, telling her of all the unique things they had.  
They went to the cinema in Wills world; he still had some money in his pocket, good enough for two tickets. Although it is worth saying, the film wasn't really noticed. It was more an excuse to be making up three years of lost time.

For both of them, there had never been any other person. They tried, both of them, but without succes. The problem was they could not live without another, and yet, they had to. Lyra had tried a couple of times to fall in love, but without succes; there was always something Will had that they hadn't. He had the same problem.

They went out of the cinema when the movie was over, and after walking around, they talked some more. Eventually, the subject of pictures entered the conversation. Such a thing did not exist in Lyra's world.  
"So, what is it?"  
"It's like a drawing of a person. A camera makes such a drawing, but in a second and much more realistic than normal drawings."  
"Could you make such a picture thing from me?"

For that, they had to go back home. Will did not have his digital camera in his pocket after all: it was a present of Mary Mallone, for his sixteenth birthday. He had a key to his own house, so they walked in. Luckily, his mother was asleep, so, being very carefull not to walk too loud, he walked into his living room, and from there, into his own room. He had his camera there, and made a picture of Lyra, smiling. He showed her the picture; she was amazed it looked so much alike, and that it was so quickly made. He saw a picture of himself lying on the table, so they exchanged pictures. They stayed some more in the living room, talking and making up more lost time. Eventually, however, the girl said:  
"It's almost time... I have to go again, back to my world. They might miss me, if I stay away too long. To me, it's still a mystery how I ended up here. Maybe we'll see each other again, maybe we won't, but I have a feeling this will be the last time we'll really see each other. But, I will see you tomorrow, Midsummer's Day." Being sad, they kissed each other goodbye, the kiss being at least just as passionate, if not more passionate, than their first kiss that night.

Lyra went back into her own world; Will and Lyra redressed themselves and went to bed. The boy noticed for the first time they could see each other through the window, when they were both lying in bed. He saw her smiling to him, and he saw Lyra sleeping.  
_She looks beautiful..._ And with that thought, he fell back asleep.

* * *

Will woke up again and realized it had all been a dream; he didn't saw the window between both of their bedrooms anymore. He realized it would've been impossible for Lyra to be in his room.  
He felt bad for having that dream. He parted with Lyra, forever. Will had come to peace with that, but he thought he was over those dreams. Apparently he wasn't. And yet, something was wrong…  
_If it really had been a normal dream, everything would be chaotic and incomprehensible after some time. I'm lying in my bed for an hour and I still remember every detail of it. Maybe this is not just a normal dream…_

But that was just impossible. There were no windows between the worlds left, except one; but that one was only useful for the dead. So it could not be, and yet...  
Suddenly, Will thought of something.  
He took his digital camera, and he could not believe what he was seeing there.  
It was a picture of Lyra, sixteen years old, smiling.  
It was impossible, and yet, it smiled at him through his camera.  
At the same time, he heard his mother shouting: "Will? Where is that picture of yours that used to be on the table?!"

* * *

I hope you liked it! Redone at the seventh of January, 2009.  
Don't forget to review! Don't hold back, I'm one of those writers who adores criticism. I'm even happy to hear that this story sucks, but please, do it with arguments. Flaming is not allowed.  
If you want to read more, I recommend you read Two Worlds, One Love =)


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